The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-07
THE DEATH OF GEN. RS. RIPLEY
Points in the Life Of the Man who Be-
gan the Attack on For: Sumter
Nsw York World. Of -Nm'ch 80.

the Confederate batteries that first
opened fire on Fort Sumter, was
stricken with apoplexy yester
day morning at the New York
Hotel and died at s o'clock last
night. Gen. Ripley, who has been
living at the New York Hotel for
some years, came down to the break
fast room yesterday morning and ate
hearty meal. lie afterwards arose
and approached the table of Gen.
Newton, commissioner Of public
works, who is an old friend Of lis,
but lust as he reached Gen. Newton S
table lie fell forward on his face, and
when picked up was found to be in
sensible. DR.. Norris was summoned,
and pronounced that the General
was suffering from an attack Of apo
plexy, and that his recovery was
very doubtful. Gen. Ripley re-
NAMED in a comatose state, growing
peceptibly worse until death came.
The stricken man was large and
stout, and was apparently in perfect
health, except for occasional attacks
of asthma, during which he suffered
considerably and would walk around
the corridors Of the hotel during all
hours of the night. He was 64 years
old, and was a native Of Chio. He
graduated at West Point and served
with distinction with Major Robert
Anderson, who, strange to say, was
in command at Fort Sumter when
his old companionin-arms led the
attack avainst it. Since the war Gen.
Ripley has made one Of that coterie
of men-Ex-Federals and Exon
federates- distinguished them
selves in that struggle, and who have
since made the New York Hotel
their headquarters. lie was a noted
raconteur, and had q stock Of clever
anecdotes about celebrated people at
his command. lie was married, and
his wife, who is now on a visit to
Charleston, has been telegraphcd
for.
Gen. Ripley some Two years ago,
in very interesting interview, gave
the World bis "reminiscences of the
attack on Sumter. lie was in i'm
mediate command of tie guns that
opened the attack. He had his head.
quarters at Fort Moultrie, and in the
sands of Sullivan's Island there were
several quite formidable batteries.
A Capt. James was in command of
Fort Johnston, on the other side of
Sumter. Singularly enough, how.
ever, Gen. Ripley, the Confederate,
was a native of Ohio, while Major
! Anderson, the Federal commander,
| was from the slave State Of Ken,
lucky. Gen. Ripley had married and
had lived for many years in ScntIl
Carolina.
q had ordered" said Gen. Ripley,
"some cooked hats for our uniforms,
and the day before the attack I met
boy with a box in his hand running
towards Fort NIoultrie. 'Where'l II
find Gen. Ripley he asked me
And what do you want of him !?
said I. Why said the breathlesS
youngster, 4 heard they were to start
firing on Fort Sumter, and must
get this hat to him before they start
in lie thought the attack could not
he made unless I was in full regalia
AS it. happened, l was awakened al
Lour or two before the first shot was
fired by :. false alarm that the signal
to begin hostilities had been given
and I rushed out in my night clothes
and caught up the cocked-hat on the
way. That vas all my uniform--a
cocked-hat and a night gown. The
first signal came several hours after
wards and I had plenty Of time to
dress. It was at 4.5O in the morning
a rocket from Deauregard's head
quarters, near Charleston. My sig
nal to the batteries on Sullivan 5 Is
land was three lanterns loisted on
q staff in Fort Moultrie. The
first shot was from an eight-inch
cannon close by my station in the
fort. 1t struck fairly the masonry G!
Sumter. A moment later and all the
batteries on the Island opened, and
at the instant we saw a flash OF guns
on Fort Johnston. The greatest wal
in history had begun. Major An
derson paid little attention to US fol
the first half-hour. lie concentrated
his fire on Fort Johnston. My bat
tcrries set fire to the barracks and il
-oc onl,- uhon ,ca cmcEci hin, cy,i